A-Level Results Day: 5 Tips On How To Navigate The Day

Exam results season is upon us and with it, brings a series of mixed emotions. The team at Compass for Life thought it would be a good idea to put together 5 tips on how to navigate A-Level results day with success. In addition, we also discuss how keeping your Super North Star in your sights is a useful tool on the day. We hope you find the following tips helpful. 

A-Level results arrive to you in two ways. The first is knowing whether you have been accepted by your first or insurance choice universities when you login to UCAS Track. In most cases, this information will be on the system at 8am. As this information comes to you first, it is important to decide before the day which information you’d like to know first; would you prefer your exam results first, or would you prefer to have your university placement information first? Either way, the emotions you will experience will be complicated and confusing. There are many scenarios that can play out, which is why we are offering the following tips in helping to navigate this difficult, yet exciting A-Level results day.

Tip #1 – Make No Assumptions

If you haven’t achieved the grades you were predicted, don’t assume that your first choice or insurance choice university will pass you up. It is often the case that universities will still accept students if they miss their offer by one grade. 

This isn’t always the case, but it’s best to act upon the information available to you on the day, rather than to speculate as to what decision the university will make based on the grades you get.

Compass for Life Navigator, Aaron Eckhoff, remembers a year when he had a student who was accepted into his first-choice university with three C grades, despite an initial offer of ABB. However, in the same cohort, another student was rejected from his first-choice university whose offer was AAB having achieved ABB. Remember, it really is a complicated process that universities go through. So don’t make any assumptions on the day, as that won’t be helpful to you.

Tip #2 – Get in contact with your first-choice university immediately

Universities spend a lot of time, energy, and money on the customer experience. As such, they value relationships with those that are interested in attending their institutions.

 If you’ve had an offer from a university, this was likely on the back of building relationships with the admissions teams and possibly some of the academic teams at the institution. You need to use this to your advantage if you miss the initial offer.

Another story recalled by Compass for Life Navigator Aaron Eckhoff was when a year 13 girl missed her first choice offer by two grades, and was devastated. However, after the initial shock of the moment, Aaron and his student called the admissions team at the university and asked what else could be done. In the end, the girl ended up at her first-choice university studying a different course that was closely related to the one she had applied to. She flourished on the course and recently graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree. She will now be embarking on a master’s degree. This story shows the power of creating relationships with the universities you’ve applied to. Remember it’s important to keep an open mind to other opportunities.

Tip #3 – Check Clearing as early in the day as possible

Clearing is another place full of opportunity and surprises. Current statistics show that the population of people at the age of 18 is the lowest it’s been in over 50 years. At the same time, we have the most university places on offer in history.

These facts mean it’s really a buyers’ market – even if you miss your offers and find yourself in clearing. Astonishingly, the past few years have seen the best institutions in the country offering places to highly competitive courses in clearing.

Clearing should not be discounted as there are always several places available. These places will often be in an area of study that you were hoping to pursue. In some cases, universities will accept you through clearing and allow you to change courses after one year of study. This isn’t widely practiced, but a conversation with the institution is worth having to see if this is something they offer.

Tip #4 – Ask yourself if there are any other routes to your Super North Star

Getting rejected from a medical course or a veterinary course does not necessarily mean you can’t become a doctor or a vet. If the will to become these is strong enough, then there are multiple ways to navigate this path. It may just take longer than you initially anticipated. If becoming a lawyer, vet, doctor, or dentist is truly your Super North Star, then find other ways to pursue it. This will often mean studying a degree that is similar in nature, with the opportunity to apply for a conversion course following the completion of the initial degree.

Navigator Aaron Eckhoff recalls two stories where this has been the case. The first was a boy who had dreamed of studying medicine to become a neurosurgeon. He missed his offer and was rejected by the medical school he applied to. However, he accepted a biomedical science course placement at the same university, achieving a 1st Class Honours degree. Following this success, he re-applied to the medical school on a conversion course and was accepted. He is now in his final year with the institution and will undoubtedly continue a path to achieve his Super North Star.

Exam results season is upon us and with it, brings a series of mixed emotions. The team at Compass for Life thought it would be a good idea to put together 5 tips on how to navigate A-Level results day with success. In addition, we also discuss how keeping your Super North Star in your sights is a useful tool on the day. We hope you find the following tips helpful. A-Level results arrive to you in two ways. The first is knowing whether you have been accepted by your first or insurance choice universities when you login to UCAS Track. In most cases, this information will be on the system at 8am. As this information comes to you first, it is important to decide before the day which information you’d like to know first; would you prefer your exam results first, or would you prefer to have your university placement information first? Either way, the emotions you will experience will be complicated and confusing. There are many scenarios that can play out, which is why we are offering the following tips in helping to navigate this difficult, yet exciting A-Level results day.

Tip #1 – Make No Assumptions

If you haven’t achieved the grades you were predicted, don’t assume that your first choice or insurance choice university will pass you up. It is often the case that universities will still accept students if they miss their offer by one grade. This isn’t always the case, but it’s best to act upon the information available to you on the day, rather than to speculate as to what decision the university will make based on the grades you get.

Compass for Life Navigator, Aaron Eckhoff, remembers a year when he had a student who was accepted into his first-choice university with three C grades, despite an initial offer of ABB. However, in the same cohort, another student was rejected from his first-choice university whose offer was AAB having achieved ABB. Remember, it really is a complicated process that universities go through. So don’t make any assumptions on the day, as that won’t be helpful to you.

Tip #2 – Get in contact with your first-choice university immediately

Universities spend a lot of time, energy, and money on the customer experience. As such, they value relationships with those that are interested in attending their institutions. If you’ve had an offer from a university, this was likely on the back of building relationships with the admissions teams and possibly some of the academic teams at the institution. You need to use this to your advantage if you miss the initial offer.

Another story recalled by Compass for Life Navigator Aaron Eckhoff was when a year 13 girl missed her first choice offer by two grades, and was devastated. However, after the initial shock of the moment, Aaron and his student called the admissions team at the university and asked what else could be done. In the end, the girl ended up at her first-choice university studying a different course that was closely related to the one she had applied to. She flourished on the course and recently graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree. She will now be embarking on a master’s degree. This story shows the power of creating relationships with the universities you’ve applied to. Remember it’s important to keep an open mind to other opportunities.

Tip #3 – Check Clearing as early in the day as possible

Clearing is another place full of opportunity and surprises. Current statistics show that the population of people at the age of 18 is the lowest it’s been in over 50 years. At the same time, we have the most university places on offer in history. These facts mean it’s really a buyers’ market – even if you miss your offers and find yourself in clearing. Astonishingly, the past few years have seen the best institutions in the country offering places to highly competitive courses in clearing.

Clearing should not be discounted as there are always several places available. These places will often be in an area of study that you were hoping to pursue. In some cases, universities will accept you through clearing and allow you to change courses after one year of study. This isn’t widely practiced, but a conversation with the institution is worth having to see if this is something they offer.

Tip #4 – Ask yourself if there are any other routes to your Super North Star

Getting rejected from a medical course or a veterinary course does not necessarily mean you can’t become a doctor or a vet. If the will to become these is strong enough, then there are multiple ways to navigate this path. It may just take longer than you initially anticipated. If becoming a lawyer, vet, doctor, or dentist is truly your Super North Star, then find other ways to pursue it. This will often mean studying a degree that is similar in nature, with the opportunity to apply for a conversion course following the completion of the initial degree. Navigator Aaron Eckhoff recalls two stories where this has been the case. The first was a boy who had dreamed of studying medicine to become a neurosurgeon. He missed his offer and was rejected by the medical school he applied to. However, he accepted a biomedical science course placement at the same university, achieving a 1st Class Honours degree. Following this success, he re-applied to the medical school on a conversion course and was accepted. He is now in his final year with the institution and will undoubtedly continue a path to achieve his Super North Star. 

The second story involves a girl who has always dreamed of becoming an equine vet. She was not gifted academically and struggled to get above a grade C in her science A-Levels. As such, she was only able to apply for a joint honours degree in a related field. She worked hard for 3 years and achieved a 2-1 in her initial degree. This allowed her to then re-apply for entrance into a Vet course and was successful. She is now in her second year of this and is thriving. 

These stories show that hard work, determination, and patience are all key factors in chasing a Super North Star. The question to ask yourself is, how much do I really want this? If the answer is ‘absolutely’, then don’t give up. There is always a way.

Tip #5 – Take Your Time and Focus on the Facts

Probably the most important tip on the day is to remain as calm as you can. This will help you to maintain clarity when making important decisions on the day. When the emotions arrive, make sure you take time to address those, whatever they are. Then, gather your support network and start to plan for how to move forward. Mostly, this will involve making calls to different institutions, checking clearing, and finding other pathways that help you to continue the road to your Super North Star.

In any case, you’re not alone on the day. Your teachers and school will be on hand to help you, the universities have teams of people to help you, and your wider support network will be there to help you. As we say with all our clients, the team around you is the best asset you have to navigate difficulty. So do lean on them and utilize their knowledge, experience, and interest in your future.

Whatever the outcome of results day, there are always many options available to you. So, spend time reminding yourself of what your Super North Star is, utilize your support network, and most importantly, remind yourself that exam results do not define who you are. 

Good luck to all those receiving A-Level and BTEC results this week from all the team at Compass for Life.